Oanh Nguyen, president of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts on Main Street, which presented the seven-hour event, said it's drawn more than 3,000 people each of the past few years.

With 13 Asian countries represented at the festival, Worcester has been the only city in the state able to represent several Asian countries in one room for performances, she said. Traveling boats, water festivals and other performance events are usually for one particular ethnicity, she said.

People typically stay for parts of the program, then yield to others.

"It's a constant rotation," Ms. Nguyen said.

The event in its first year was small and held at Worcester State University. Dr. Sahdev R. Passey, a local pediatrician, helped start it, Mayor Joseph M. Petty recalled.

The Asian community in the city and throughout Worcester County has blossomed, Mr. Petty said.

The mayor told the Asian-Americans attending the festival that Worcester is stronger because of its cultural diversity.

Joined by City Councilors Kathleen M. Toomey, Philip P. Palmieri and Sarai Rivera, Mr. Petty said many Asians may have come here because of a "harder life" in their native lands.

"But in Worcester, you're very much welcome," he said.

Anh V. Sawyer, the coalition's new executive director, gave Mr. Petty a plaque that thanked the city for its support, its love and its warm welcome of Asians.

Many people venture to Worcester from all over the world for the opportunity to raise their children and work, but most importantly, to find freedom and live in peace, Ms. Sawyer said.

Thuha Le, the coalition's first executive director, from 2004 to 2012, was given a plaque because she helped the organization grow and become more special and strengthened its citywide presence, Ms. Sawyer said.

Ms. Le, who left to pursue a master's degree on a scholarship at Clark University, but is still involved with the coalition, said the organization began in 2001 with no funding. It functioned entirely with volunteers and did not have an executive director until she was installed three years later.

The city provided the coalition an office in the Main South Community Development Corporation, Ms. Le said.

It moved to Chandler Street through a Fuller Foundation grant, grew out of that space and moved into donated space in the United Way building.

Asians compose about 6 percent of Worcester's population. Because so many countries are represented, the city would not be able to serve them without the coalition, Ms. Le said.

The festival awarded student scholarships of $500 each to Joshan Niroula, Kristen Nguyen, Mimi Nguyen and Steve Chungyuk Takahasha. Program supporter Simon Gregory gave out of his own pocket a fifth scholarship to Ada Yang, who was deserving, the coalition president said.

Bryan Morales and Van Tha Ceu both received $250 scholarships for their work in the coalition's youth program.

Ms. Niroula, who moved to the U.S. from Nepal five years ago, said she enjoys living in the city because of its overall diversity.

Ms. Niroula said her mother, who was attending a graduate program at Clark University, sent for her and her sister for a better education.

The valedictorian at University Park Campus School, Ms. Niroula said she will use the money to pay for books during her first year at Clark University.

She said the festival was enlightening, and she enjoyed seeing the various costumes during the fashion show.

"It's like visiting the world, except you only have to come here," she said.